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BioWare should release an alternate ending to Mass Effect 3

Because, otherwise, what’s the point?

Words: on August 27, 2012
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79 comments

  • brazmanoqk - August 28, 2012 9:32 a.m.

    You mentioned at the start of the article that your choices mattered in the end, I don't see how? No choice you made had any effect apart from blue, green, red?

  • Hollander_Cooper - August 28, 2012 10:46 a.m.

    Just because they didn't effect an ending cinematic doesn't mean they didn't happen. The Quarians are dead in my universe.

  • DictatorStan - August 28, 2012 12:22 p.m.

    That's all well and good, (not really good but you know) but the fact that the Quarians are dead didn't mean anything to the outcome of the game. They were just an asset that was replaced by the Geth if I remember correctly. I love the idea in this article though.

  • Hollander_Cooper - August 28, 2012 2:15 p.m.

    Sure it did. In my universe they were dead, just because the Geth didn't show up to high-five me and save the day doesn't mean I didn't choose them.

  • FlameChucks76 - August 28, 2012 3:46 p.m.

    Personally I feel like this is a cop-out kind of statement. To say that because the Quarians being dead changed the outcome of the game is like saying replacing your coke with pepsi will offer a better taste. To some they will never notice the different between either one, especially if you empty out the coke and fill that can with pepsi. Ultimately the choice of keeping either Geth or Quarian didn't matter because you still ended up making a choice at the end of the game as to how to deal with it. Even if you had gone through with either Geth or Quarian, the outcome is the same. The only difference is the backdrop of the scene. Had i known that all of my choices were mainly for a pure aesthetic for dramatic effect then I probably wouldn't have wasted my time bringing peace to an ongoing conflict between the Geth and Quarian races. I high-fived both races and even with their help, didn't do anything different in regards to how the endgame went had I not had them with me anyways.

  • Blaze38 - August 28, 2012 8:10 p.m.

    Bro you are missing the point he is trying to make. Everyone's Mass Effect Universe is differen't! Also what I want to know is what kind of ending were you looking for anyway? A Fallout 3 style where it recaps all your choices? A one where every single person that you ever made a choice with in mass effect all jump and have a glorious "We did it!" freeze frame momment? The point of mass effect wasn't how all your choices effected the ending its about the journey and making those choices along the way. Its the personal feelings about everything and sense of power you had to make those choices.

  • ParagonT - August 30, 2012 9:14 a.m.

    I agree with his statement more than yours to be honest. At the end of the game, it didn't matter who you picked, everything went to crap anyway (before the patch). Besides that obvious statement, I think it's weird to say that the "effect" of your choices does not matter compared to the "journey", when the games title sorta says otherwise. Cause and effect my friend, that's what the game was about, but the ending makes that a moot point by taking out the "effect" if you will because the effect that you're given is based on a choice at the end that is detached from any choices you've made so far.

  • ParagonT - August 30, 2012 9:15 a.m.

    Have you played the game?

  • Szethius - August 28, 2012 9:28 a.m.

    MORE SPACE POINTS YAY, would be nice to have a different ending with getting Leviathan.

  • GrandmaSlayer - August 28, 2012 8:04 a.m.

    yay more assets...

  • Acerlux - August 28, 2012 7:58 a.m.

    I really like this idea. Its something for everyone. People who want to throw money at Bioware for an ending more in their wheelhouse can, and people satisfied with what's there don't have to. I doubt it'll ever happen, but I can dream right?

  • Hobogonigal - August 28, 2012 7:57 a.m.

    I have to agree that I would love this. I wan't too keen on the original ending due to the simple lack of choice that my actions had brought to the conclusion and of course some of the plot holes. However I was satisfied with this ending because the extended cut helped to mop up the confusion a little. If DLC adds new elements that could possibly affect the way everything ends then I would definitely be more inclined to get them, it would be great to see a completely different turn around of events. Although from what I have seen of this expansion and the thoughts of other commenters, I don't think the ending will be affected by this DLC. *SPOILER*It seems to add some underwater mech combat maybe which would be somewhat interesting.

  • Darkhawk - August 28, 2012 7:31 a.m.

    I wouldn't mind seeing DLC that featured "The Continuing Adventures of The Normandy". It'd be a bit tricky to reflect the multiple ending choices, but if anyone could do it, it's BioWare. To be honest, the most obvious narrative choice would be Mass Effect 3: The Search for Shepard.

  • KA87 - August 28, 2012 7:29 a.m.

    You could have Miranda's clone sister (or Miranda if she was your love interest) go and rebuild him after the fact or have her clone him since she is a clone and all. That way you don't have to change the ending and we all get Shepard back so that we can go and stop the Blue Suns from taking over Omega or something like that.

  • woodster01 - August 28, 2012 4:53 a.m.

    Oh my, huge ME fan and still not sure what to make of the ending or DLC that has no effect on it. Do I go with the indoctrination theorists and believe the whole final sequence was nothing more than a brainwashed God-fantasy of a wounded soldier lying on the battlefield dreaming of saving civilisation and being a legend for generations to come? If so, then ME is far from over as the Reapers are still swarming all over London and the Alliance's last desperate roll of the die failed at the transport beam. Room for ME4 to come, then? No complaints from me if it does. I'm missing Liara, Garrus, Edi and the gang already. Or did Shep actually, physically make it and meet hologram boy and it really was all just choosing a colour? Not sure how fitting a finale that is to be honest, and the final sequence did have a lot of dream-like feel to it. All I know is that I loved ME, and the build up to the finale was brilliantly done even if the finale itself was more thought-provoking than expected. Can't believe it's all over and will happily delve into any new dlc that takes me back - or even forward...

  • Clovin64 - August 28, 2012 3:04 a.m.

    An alternate ending would be cool, but my gut tells me we're only going to come away with a few more war assets (probably my least favourite thing abut ME3). I'm still really looking forward to this DLC, but I'd be pleasantly surprised if Leviathan is even given a mention once in the rest of the game once you've played through the DLC.

  • LoneFullmetal7 - August 28, 2012 2:25 a.m.

    Damn a lot of entitled complaining in this article, wanting a great series to continue like this make you a whiner! /IGN's response Well I do have to side with IGN somewhat. Mass Effect is over, get over it. It was great up until the end, but that's what happens when a writer that wasn't the original series writer goes unchecked. It would be great to have something more substantial, but we never will. Even if they did add an alternate ending the series will never have the same quality it used to.

  • BladedFalcon - August 28, 2012 5:11 a.m.

    You missed the entire point of the article, didn't you... Mass Effect as a property or story isn't over if the creators themselves decide to keep creating new content for it, such as this DLC. Had Bioware made no upcoming DLC for the story, this article would have never been written, and the editor wouldn't have suggested a new, or alternate ending. But Bioware IS deciding to continue the story of the franchise, even if it's just an added side-story that could probably have no effect on the ending, it's still new content and a continuation. And what the article is saying is, if they are actually going to bother making new content or added story, why not make it actually matter?

  • KnowYourPokemon - August 28, 2012 9:15 a.m.

    They've even said that this isn't the end for Mass Effect as a whole and that Mass Effect 3 was just finishing Shepard's story not the entire Universe's story.

  • ParagonT - August 30, 2012 9:18 a.m.

    Another peasant that's loyal to his king... Mass Effect the third.

  • robotdickens - August 28, 2012 12:32 a.m.

    Bioware should have never listened to fan boys. I'm going to tell you something that should happen with most movies: the hero dies at the end. Is this bad? No it's actually really good. There is no part where we have to see the hero screw up royally at the end and find out our protagonist was a douche. Here's the realistic alternate ending. Shepherd saves the galaxy and wouldn't you know the after party held in his honor holds more space babes than all the first two games combined. Shepherd has massive amounts of sex and all is well. Later, he goes to the doctor to check out some weird discoloration on his skin. Apparently having sex with just about every alien race has given him space herpes. We cut to long years of Shep battling with chemo to which he finally loses. Wasn't that a great ending? No? Hero dies at the end is the best possible decision. And besides, Bioware said the Shepherd saga was over but there will probably be more Mass Effect games. What, did you want a cameo of the new protag teaming up with the old? Boy, that would have been fun!

  • nikrusty - August 28, 2012 3:25 a.m.

    Haha...space herpes...Loved it!!

  • Markoose16 - August 28, 2012 4:23 a.m.

    I'm guessing you're one of the people who think that others complained about the ending because Shepard died. Does everyone have to explain it again that it was because of the pick a colour ending and several other things, none of which were Shepard died.

  • ParagonT - August 28, 2012 4:59 a.m.

    Agree there, but there's no point in repeating this scenario again. If they're interested in the real reasons, they can hop back to older articles when the problem was in full swing. The "entitled" calling group seriously needs to quit being egotistical and actually know the real reasons before sounding like an ass. But will that ever happen? Doubt it.

  • FOZ - August 28, 2012 7:05 a.m.

    First off, stop saying "fan boys." That word has been beaten into nothingness even more than it is during the most heated of console wars. The people who support Bioware are fanboys, the people who hate the ending are fanboys. The word doesn't mean anything. Second, the hero dying is a lazy way to try for a tearjerker ending. It is nothing new, and it is usually not interesting, especially in the context of an obligatory dramatic sacrifice. You honestly think anything would be more interesting by wantonly killing off the hero? Or they could, you know, create endings that are genuinely emotional or interesting, whether the heroes dies or not, without relying solely on "kill the main character when we're done."

Showing 41-60 of 79 comments

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